The Global Technology Regulation (GTR) and the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) in Europe and Japan specify the leg injury criteria for pedestrian protection. In particular, these regulations are aimed at preventing the legs of a pedestrian from sliding under a vehicle bumper during a vehicle-pedestrian impact.
Light duty trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), for example, may have a relatively high bumper height that may allow the lower leg to bend and slide under the bumper. Specifically, light duty trucks have relatively higher bumper heights to provide ground clearance to clear speed bumps, curbs, parking blocks, inclined driveway ramps, hills, rough roads, etc. at lower speeds. Some Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and light duty trucks also have off-road capabilities at low speed that preclude having any components below the bumper. As such, there is an opportunity to design a bumper assembly for pedestrian leg impact energy management while addressing ground clearance requirements.